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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25212205">End of the Earth</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingkelly/pseuds/darlingkelly'>darlingkelly</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Runaways (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Drama &amp; Romance, F/M, Future Fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:26:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,633</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25212205</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingkelly/pseuds/darlingkelly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Knowing how she’ll die shouldn’t provide her comfort, but it does. Because Gert knows that if she and her Avengers fail their mission, at least she’ll wind up back in the mid-aughts staring up at Chase’s dumb, wonderful face as she fades away, again.</p><p>OR</p><p>Future!Gert takes on Victorious.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chase Stein/Gertrude Yorkes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Knowing how she’ll die shouldn’t provide her comfort, but it does. Because Gert knows that if she and her Avengers fail their mission, at least she’ll wind up back in the mid-aughts staring up at Chase’s dumb, wonderful face as she fades away, again. That might be the one thing she and Chase ever truly had in common – the annoying habit of coming back to life.</p><p>This fate would be almost tempting if it didn’t also bring about the end of the world.</p><p>It had been nearly twenty years since Gert witnessed, impossibly, an older version of herself travel back in time to warn her, <em>Beware of Victor Mancha</em>, before dying in Chase’s arms. One would think observing an event like that would be enough persuasion to heed the warning, but back then, Gert was skeptical and stubborn. And in her defense, the woman hardly resembled someone Gert could grow up to be. That woman was a superhero, and teenage Gert wouldn’t have been caught dead in a costume. Besides, Gert didn’t trust adults, not even herself.</p><p>Chase believed. He believed in Gert, and valued her above all else. He did everything in his power to never let her forget her future self’s warning – Victor was not to be trusted. Chase and the rest of their found family agreed to only keep Victor close to keep an eye on him, to ensure he wouldn’t turn on them and kill them all.</p><p>Despite Chase’s caution, teenage Gert lost focus of that plan. She misinterpreted Chase’s ill-will for jealousy and fell hard for Victor, out of confusion and loneliness. Her family had all grown up without her – her Runaways. Even Chase, who in moments, as she was ripped from the past, went from being the love of her life to a complete stranger. Even worse, an adult, the one thing she truly couldn’t trust at the time. Victor was the only one who understood, who was still as she remembered.</p><p>It was stupid. Teenage Gert was all about rebellion, so naturally when a future version of herself traveled back in time to warn her, WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT TRUST THIS CYBORG AND LISTEN CLOSELY, GERTRUDE YORKES, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR FAMILY FOR HIM, she mulishly did the opposite. Maybe if her future-self had phrased her warning as bluntly, Gert may have listened, but she didn’t. Instead, Gert risked it all and ended up in this present. She used to ask herself, what was the worst that could happen?</p><p>Everyone dies.</p><p>That’s the reality Gert had found herself in. According to her estimation, the world ends within the next three days, and the one person who could have been able to help her stop it died five years ago, alone in a ditch with a secondhand dinosaur.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gert had spent many sleepless nights recounting the poor decisions that lead her here. Thankfully, she barely had time to think these days, like in this moment, mid-battle, dangerously acknowledging the pangs of guilt gnawing at her gut instead of pushing them down to focus on the drones shooting at her and her team. Victor, or more accurately, Victorious – what Victor had become right under her very nose – had gained control of all robotics with a motherboard within a ten-mile radius, and these particular drones were centimeters away from taking out the few remaining members of her Avengers.</p><p>“Get down!” she commanded, ducking behind an armored van. She heard shots then wails, and quickly lunged forward and fired before hurrying back down. Karolina came crashing down next to her. Gert was quick to attend to her.</p><p>“Hang in there,” she whispered, then called into her walkie, “Fall back!” Her team was cornered.</p><p>A drone came swooping toward her, but before she could fire another shot, the drone exploded. Then another. Blasts came from somewhere behind her, eliminating drone after drone. Gert peeked her head out to see if Hisako and her X-Men had responded to her request for backup, but found no one.</p><p>The blasts continued. There was something familiar about the sound cutting through the cacophony of screams and explosions. Gert couldn’t have possibly heard what she thought she was hearing…</p><p>Fistigons.</p><p>Once the firing slowed, she sneaked another look over her shoulder in the direction of the blasts and caught sight of a blur of blond hair before dropping to the ground, consciously steadying her breathing. By the time she was confident it was safe to announce, “All clear,” the ghost of her ex-boyfriend was long gone.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Later that night, back at her base as she and her team sat down for a somber dinner, Gert had already convinced herself she had imagined the noise amidst the chaos. That is, until Iron Woman mentioned spotting a “lanky white guy shooting fire from his knuckles”. Gert nearly choked.</p><p>She was the last to leave the table, still mourning her fallen friends and doing her best not be distracted by the possibility that Chase Stein might still be alive. She knew it couldn’t be true. She had been informed of his passing moments after it happened. That was the last time she had been together with the rest of the Runaways – identifying his and Lace’s bodies.</p><p>Gert exhaled. She wandered to her computer in a fog and pulled up her digital database and keyed in his name.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>V. Chase Stein</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Gert’s stomach turned as she tapped on a tab along the top of the display. Her heart sank when Chase’s photo appeared. She raised a hand to touch his face but quickly dropped her arm. She glossed over the details written next to his picture. Date of birth, date of death, discernible markings.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Surgical scarring on chest, right shoulder, right thigh, left calf, spine, scalp</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Oh, Chase,” she thought aloud. She cringed, recalling the small details he had shared of his time without her, when she returned from the dead. She knew he had candy-coated the stories for her, a habit that pissed her off at the time. She could tell he’d been hurt, but she couldn’t have imagined it was to that extent. Of course, she had seen this file hundreds of times since then.  </p><p>Gert’s chest got heavy as she scrolled down the page with her fingertips to the section labeled “Tattoos”.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Inner lip, text: “TALKBACK”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>She couldn’t help but smile at that one. She kept scrolling, knowing what came next.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Torso, purple heart with text: “GERT”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>There it was, as it always was, in writing. Chase had inscribed her name on his body, and she had broken his heart.</p><p>Gert became suddenly embarrassed for going through his file. It felt invasive. He was dead, and she hadn’t gone back in time for him like he had done for her. What was she even trying to prove? She hastily ran a finger back to the top of the page and closed the window.</p><p>After all, she didn’t really need her digital database to find what she was looking for – Chase’s last known location. It was burned into her memory. She had laid down flowers for him and Old Lace there, sobbing like she hadn’t since childhood.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gert returned to Chase’s final resting place and held back tears. It was a ditch by the side of the road, just around the corner from his garage. He had been ambushed by an unknown entity, now known to be Victorious. Lace died trying to protect him. And Gert hadn’t been there for him. Even worse, Victor was still on her team at the time. She had been with him the very day Chase and Lace were killed.</p><p>Gert made her way to the abandoned garage. It was cluttered with scrap metal, empty bottles and miscellaneous gadgets. She picked up some sort of dusty creation and analyzed it, then moved to Chase’s workbench. His tools were still arranged as though he were mid-project. She began to cry silently to herself, when she sensed movement in the room.</p><p>“Guess I’m finally busted,” an impossible voice teased. “I admit, it was kind of dumb to come back here, huh?”</p><p>“Chase?” Gert’s eyes went wide. She must have been seeing ghosts. She had IDed his body. There was simply no way this could be real.</p><p>“But that’s sort of my thing, isn’t it?” he continued, moving toward her. “Hi, Gert.”</p><p>Gert took a step back and raised a hand. “Explain. Before you come any closer.”</p><p>“You wouldn’t understand,” Chase stated. He picked up the gadget Gert had held and fiddled with it as he spoke. “It was better this way. Your file said I was dead so he stopped looking for me. Victor.”</p><p>“I know who you meant,” Gert let out too harshly. “Does that mean… Is Lace…?”</p><p>“No,” Chase said sadly. “She’s gone.”</p><p>“Chase… I- I need answers. You faked your own death and you’ve just been hiding out down here, making, whatever the hell these things are?”</p><p>“Not here. But, yes.”</p><p> “Until, what, you decided to run straight into battle – <em>my</em> battle? You’re going to get yourself killed. For real this time.”</p><p>“I don’t think that will be an issue.”</p><p>“And what makes you so confident? Aside from the culmination of side-effects from a lifetime supply of homemade gin and prolonged exposure to the variety of fumes circulating down here?”</p><p>“Well for one, I can’t die,” Chase answered casually. “I’ve tried. Doesn’t stick.”</p><p>Gert paused, caught off guard by, well, everything about this conversation. “I think you’re flubbing the old catchphrase,” she managed.</p><p>Chase put down the gadget and looked at Gert directly. “I’m being serious.”</p><p>“Okay,” Gert let out in a sarcastic tone before realizing he wasn’t kidding. “Wait, you’re… You’re saying you’re immortal?” she stammered.</p><p>“Something like that.”</p><p>“How can you be so sure? I mean, I saw your body, Chase. You were gone.”</p><p>“Temporary.”</p><p>Gert leaned on the workbench to stabilize herself, her head spinning. “So that time you drowned and I brought you back…?”</p><p>Chase shrugged. “Sorry the first life you ever saved didn’t actually need saving. But hey, I’m sure it looked great on your resume.”</p><p>“Yes, thankfully that’s part the Avengers honed in on and not the patricide or two-year unemployment gap from when I was legally dead.”</p><p>“Can’t be legally dead if you never died.”   </p><p>Gert crossed her arms.</p><p>“What?” he asked.</p><p>“I know it’s been five years, but I’m sure you haven’t forgotten where I stand on this issue.”</p><p>“You’re kidding. That I should’ve never come back for you? That I should’ve let you die?”</p><p>“It was the beginning of the end. We both know it,” Gert said sadly. </p><p>“You still believe that?!”</p><p>Gert looked away.</p><p>“Look what you went on to do! And honestly, you’re telling me that if I’d been the one who… and you had a time machine, you wouldn’t have done the exact same thing?”</p><p>“Well, obviously not!” Gert spit out.</p><p>Chase appeared crestfallen. “Then what the hell are you doing here?”</p><p>“You showed up in the middle of my battle,” Gert reiterated. “Why?”</p><p>“Gert,” Chase let out in an exasperated way that never failed to cut right through her thick skin. Gert exhaled and listened to the sounds of metal being kicked around as Chase stepped toward her. She reluctantly raised her head to meet his gaze. “You know exactly what I’m up to. And you know I’d never let you die again.”</p><p>Gert spoke slowly, “I have a team of the most skilled superheroes on the planet backing me up…”</p><p>“But you don’t have me,” Chase cut in. “You know I’ve studied how he ticks. I can help you take down Victorious, once and for all.”</p><p>Gert sighed. “I thought you were dead. I’m- I’m so relieved to see you.”</p><p>“It’s good to see you, too,” he smiled.</p><p>“That’s why I can’t let you in. I can’t have you on the frontlines where you might get-“</p><p>“Killed? What don’t you get? I always come back.”</p><p>“He’d find a way, Chase. If you got close enough to stopping him…”</p><p>“Hey,” Chase said, taking another step toward Gert, “I have to at least give it a try.”</p><p>Gert took a deep breath before folding. “Okay, you’ve got a spot on the team. But you should know, he’s cut our numbers in half. So many have already died by his hands.”</p><p>“Well, luckily you know him better than anyone.”</p><p>Gert lowered her head, embarrassed.</p><p>“We can use it against him,” Chase assured her.</p><p>“Okay,” Gert said. “Let’s rip his damn heart out.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gert gave Chase a few moments to collect his things, then discreetly made her way back toward base with him following behind. He didn’t have much; just some tools and a pile of junk that only made sense to him. As she drove, she kept dwelling on what Chase had told her. Could it be true, he couldn’t die? She thought of all the instances where he miraculously came back. The drowning. The handful of accidents. He certainly appeared to be luckier than most. How could she not see it before?</p>
<p>She thought of Lace. How she felt their connection end when she died. She never admitted it aloud, but that connection had linked her to Chase as well. She used to be able to feel his emotions, hear his thoughts like a faint buzzing in the back of her mind. Though she had severed that connection long before.</p>
<p>Gert’s thoughts kept going to a place she didn’t want them to. It was still painful, recalling the dejected look on Chase’s face when he found them together, her and Victor. Of course, it had to be Chase who discovered them. She still remembered every detail.</p>
<p>“Chase!” Gert had pushed Victor away as her cheeks reddened. “I was going to tell you. I was trying to find the right way to-“</p>
<p>“Cheat?” Chase had questioned, in disbelief over what he’d witnessed. Gert, his love, passionately kissing his best friend.</p>
<p>“Can’t cheat on an ex,” Victor had cut in.</p>
<p>Gert saw in Chase’s eyes that he would have disassembled him there and then if Victor wasn’t, somehow, skin and bones. Victor had recently upgraded his metal skeleton for flesh, perhaps for this very reason, to finally be with Gert in a way only Chase had previously.</p>
<p>“Victor,” Gert whispered. “Please, give us a minute.”</p>
<p>Victor hesitantly left the room.</p>
<p>“I swear, I was going to tell you,” Gert repeated, guilty tears appearing on her face.</p>
<p>“I can’t believe this,” Chase said, voice hoarse.</p>
<p>“We are broken up though, right? I mean, I know we never had the talk, but it was kind of obvious, wasn’t it?”</p>
<p>Chase locked his jaw.</p>
<p>“What I’m trying to say is, I didn’t wake up today and decide to hurt you.”</p>
<p>“How long has this been going on?” Chase finally asked.</p>
<p>“A little while now…” Gert had confessed.</p>
<p>Chase let out a groan which irked her.</p>
<p>“Give me a break!” she spat. “I was lonely. And out of place, and you all grew up without me. All except <em>him</em>, and, I don’t know!”</p>
<p>“That’s not why I’m upset,” Chase interrupted. “I mean, yeah, part of me is upset about that. A lot of me is upset about that. But that’s not the worst part! Do you even realize what you’re doing?”</p>
<p>Gert tossed up her hands in frustration. “Well, seeing as I’m an autonomous being fully capable of making my own decisions…”</p>
<p>“Are you?” he shouted.</p>
<p>“Are you implying I’m under some sort of mind control, Stein? Where are you going with this?”</p>
<p>Chase attempted to steady his tone before continuing, “You’re dipping your toes into the Bad Future. You know, the one you time travel from to warn us about this exact thing before you die in my arms.”</p>
<p>Gert scoffed.</p>
<p>“Future-you, her main squeeze was Victor, who became Victorious. <em>Victorious! </em>You two being together is one step closer to the end of the freakin’ world!”</p>
<p>“That future is never going to happen. I already died.”</p>
<p>“Except you didn’t, because I brought you back. Just like I brought <em>him </em>back, just so… Oh, man, I did this… This is all my fault,” Chase suddenly realized. “I end the freakin’ world.”</p>
<p>“Chase,” Gert had said too-calmly. Chase could probably tell she was trying to mask her anger. “You didn’t do anything except grow up. I’m sorry you had to find out about us this way, but Victor is good. He’s never going to turn into that monster.”</p>
<p>How wrong Gert had been. She knew too much time had passed to apologize now. She glanced into her rearview mirror, seeing Chase driving behind her. She couldn’t believe he was really back. This was her last chance to make it right between them, to fix everything she had done wrong. If only it would be that easy. Her to-do list included saving the world.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“There are a few empty rooms,” Gert suggested when she and Chase arrived at the base. Unfortunately, the rooms were empty because most of her team had been killed. It felt wrong to put Chase in one of them.</p><p>“Where’s yours?” Chase asked to her surprise. She pointed to her room.</p><p>“Great,” Chase said making his way to the room next door that used to be Viv’s. “I’ll be here if you need me.”</p><p>Gert nodded, feeling immature for thinking he was just going to move right in with her as if they were still teenagers. She walked to her own room and closed the door.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When morning came, Gert rounded up her team. Karolina was especially thrilled to see Chase alive and well. Gert silently hoped he wouldn’t ask where Nico was, and thankfully, he did not. Maybe he already knew what happened. Most people could see it in Karolina’s eyes – a sadness she couldn’t shake. Nico’s last spell before the Staff of One consumed her was for Karolina. “Eternal sunshine,” were her last words. As a result, Karolina no longer needed the sunlight to recharge her powers, but she would much rather still have her Nico.</p><p>The rest of her team, Iron Woman, Scorpion and Captain Americas, listened carefully as Gert explained, “Talkback will be a vital addition, given his knowledge of Victorious’ inner-workings and weaknesses. Now, let’s suit up and get moving. Hisako and her X-Men are already on their way.”</p><p>As the team dispersed, Chase pulled Gert aside.</p><p>“Is Molly still…?” he asked her in a soft tone.</p><p>“Yes,” Gert replied.</p><p>Chase let out a sigh of relief. “Thank God.” He reached into his pocket and handed over a set of metallic pods. “Here, take these. If Victorious gets too close, toss ’em.”</p><p>“What are they?”</p><p>“Inhibitor pods. They emit an electric forcefield that should be enough to temporarily short circuit him.”</p><p>“Impressive. Is this what you’ve been working on?”</p><p>“Those? Those were nothing. I’ve got something <em>much</em> more impressive in the works.”</p><p>Gert grinned, “Of course you do.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When the X-Men arrived, Chase ran straight to Molly. She practically tackled him, elated to see her friend alive. “I knew you couldn’t be gone,” she said with a smile as she picked him up and spun him around.</p><p>“Good to see you too, Molls,” he laughed.</p><p>But their reunion was cut short by a sudden explosion. The main entrance to the base burst open with a violent bang. Then they were all running for cover as the metal flooring was torn up in an instant, pieces of steel forking and bending underneath their feet.</p><p>“We must’ve been followed!” shouted Hisako. She was quick to provide armor, but it wouldn’t hold for long.</p><p>Chase impulsively charged the source of the chaos, shooting his Fistigons as rapidly as he could manage. Karolina followed, sending beams of light at the unseen enemy. Finally, Victorious hovered into sight, sporting an eerie smile that stretched from ear to ear.</p><p>“Chase, back from the dead,” Victorious sneered. “Not for long.”</p><p>With little more than a glance, he sent a piece of metal in Chase’s direction that cut straight through his shirt.</p><p>“Chase!” Gert screamed, firing at Victorious.</p><p>Molly was quick to avenge him, lunging for Victorious and catching him with a clothesline. Victorious was turned upside-down by the force of her blow.</p><p>The teams didn’t let up. Both the X-Men and the Avengers fought with everything they had, but Victorious was relentless in his attack. Gert watched on in dismay, shouting orders as bodies flew, crumpling lifeless beside her. Daredevil. Honey Badger. Several of the Fantastic Fourteen. Molly.</p><p>“Molly!” Gert cried out, running to her friend. Molly was holding her stomach. Blood coated her hands and was starting to drip from her mouth. Gert turned her attention to Victorious. “Damn it! How could you?!” she called out.</p><p>Victorious laughed and came closer. He hovered toward them, observing Molly’s labored breaths with pleasure in his eyes. “She was kind to me,” he recollected mockingly. “But not quite as <em>generous</em> as you.” He raised a hand in Gert’s direction, ready to strike. Gert fired again, pointblank. Her shots barely affected him, yet she refused to leave Molly’s side.</p><p>Hisako ran toward them, weak from putting up her armor. “Go!” she commanded. “I’ve got her!”</p><p>Gert was fast to guide Victorious away from them. Karolina flew by, dodging the scraps of metal swooping through the air, and formed a blinding light around Victorious to provide Gert a chance to escape him. Her tactic worked, and Gert quickly found her way to Chase. He was also bleeding, struggling to remove the steel from his side. Without hesitation, Gert pulled it out of him. The bleeding worsened, and Chase collapsed. Gert mumbled, “Come back to me, Chase. Come on!”</p><p>Despite the teams’ efforts, Victorious was able to relocate Gert, basking in her panic. With a few gestures, Victorious wrapped Gert in metal and began to squeeze. He enjoyed watching her squirm under his power.</p><p>“We’ve had some good times, Heroine. Are you sure you don’t want to rule beside me?”</p><p>“I’d rather die,” she spat.</p><p>“As you wish,” he grinned, tightening his grip. Before he could do more harm, Victorious was struck simultaneously by Captain Americas and Scorpion. Infuriated, he sent an electric shock through them both.</p><p>Gert raced down the main corridor, luring Victorious away from the group. She reached into her pocket and removed the inhibitor pods Chase had given her. With a grunt, she turned and threw them in Victorious’ direction. Just as Chase said, the pods emitted an electric pulse that ran straight into Victorious’ body, significantly weakening him. He was held in place as he struggled against the currents.</p><p>“I’ve got him!” she called out to her team, hoping she still had one. No one answered. She dragged herself back to the destroyed entrance. The scene Gert found herself in was directly from her nightmares. There were bodies thrown about the room, stuck under rubble and debris. Karolina and Hisako were working to free them.</p><p>“Quick!” Karolina cried. “Help Molly!”</p><p>Gert returned to Molly’s side, now in worse shape than when she left her.</p><p>“Come on, Mol. You’re stronger than this.”</p><p>Molly’s eyelids fluttered, then shut.</p><p>There was a sudden gasp from across the room. Chase limped toward his friends, hugging his side.</p><p>“Molls?” he let out, quietly at first. “Molly!” He collapsed beside her, beginning to sob. He and Gert each held one of Molly’s limp hands in their own.</p><p>Their friend was gone.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Where is he?” Chase was incensed. Gert and Karolina had to physically restrain him from going after Victorious himself.</p><p>“We have him,” Gert guaranteed. “We won’t let him get away with this.”</p><p>“He has to die,” Chase said through gritted teeth, “or he’ll escape and kill us all!” He was pushing his way down the corridor, Fistigons on and ready to strike.</p><p>Gert and Karolina got in his path and held him back.</p><p>“Not like this!” Karolina pleaded. “He’ll kill you before you even have a chance to lift those things!”</p><p>“I want to see him,” Chase insisted.</p><p>Karolina looked to Gert.</p><p>“Fine,” Gert folded. “Let’s go.”</p><p>But when the three got to the end of the corridor where Gert had left Victorious, they found it empty. The pods had vanished as well.</p><p>“Damn it!” Chase exclaimed.</p><p>“Where did he go? I had him!” Gert said, astonished.</p><p>“It’s not safe here!” Karolina suddenly realized. “We need to move.”</p><p>Gert nodded in agreement. “We’ll have to find a place off the grid. Victorious downloaded all my files before he turned into that monster.”</p><p>“He’s always been that monster,” Chase hissed.</p><p>Gert lacked the motivation to argue. “Karolina, round up the others. See if the X-Men have any remaining hideouts we can utilize.”</p><p>Karolina agreed and flew off, leaving a trail of light.</p><p>“He killed Molly, Gert,” Chase whispered.</p><p>“I know,” Gert replied, tears forming.</p><p>Chase lowered his head, pressed his forehead to hers and began to cry again. Gert cupped his cheeks, longing to remain this close to him but aching for the loss of their friend.</p><p>“Gert!” Karolina’s voice broke up the moment. “Come on. We’ve got a place.”</p><p>“All right,” Gert replied. “Let’s move.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The remaining team members relocated to a secret island bunker off the coast. It consisted of one tall metal tower surrounded by the vast ocean. Gert didn’t particularly love the fact that the building was made of metal, which could be easily manipulated by Victorious’ powers, but they had no other option. This was now home.  </p>
<p>She had struggled to pack, knowing she was preparing for her final days. There was only one thing she knew she needed to bring along: the 4-D Portico, her parents’ time machine. It required a power source, however, and they were running out of time to construct one. Thankfully, she had Iron Woman and Chase on her team. It only took Chase moments of analyzing Iron Woman’s suit to learn how to recreate an arc reactor. The two worked fast to build one out of his various scraps.</p>
<p>The plan was swiftly put into motion. Gert would use the time machine to go back and stop Victor Mancha before he had a chance to turn into Victorious. She would kill him herself if she had to, knowing what he would become. And that would fix it all. No Victorious, no ill-fated love triangle that would lead to the end of the world, no letting Victor Mancha go near her Avengers just to pick them off one by one. Save Molly, save everyone. Maybe she could even get to Nico in time, before the Staff took her over, and she and Karolina could live happily ever after. And Chase… sweet Chase, would never experience a broken heart. She would guarantee that.  </p>
<p>But first, Gert needed to check in on her current team. Everyone was still badly shaken from their latest battle. Gert herself fought to feel appropriately about the losses they suffered, including that of Molly, who had been like a little sister to her. It revolted her that she was becoming numb to Victorious’ murders. It was a regular occurrence; he took more superheroes each day. It would only be a matter of time before he found them and wiped out them all.</p>
<p>Karolina found Gert on the roof, looking out at the rolling waves below, lost in thought. She placed a warm hand on her shoulder.</p>
<p>“How is everyone doing in there?” Gert hesitated to ask.</p>
<p>Karolina frowned. “Honestly, we could really use a pep talk from our fearless leader right about now.”</p>
<p>Gert turned to face her. “I don’t know what to say.”</p>
<p>“Why do I find that hard to believe?”</p>
<p>“It’s just that… we’ve tried everything to defeat him, and we just keep failing, losing more people.”</p>
<p>“We have a plan. It’ll work,” Karolina assured her.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to abandon you all.”  </p>
<p>“Don’t worry about us, Gert. We believe in you. This is our only chance.”  </p>
<p>Gert nodded. “You’re right. Let’s get back inside.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>              </p>
<p>Gert’s team seemed relieved to see her when she reentered the bunker. They raised their heads, eagerly awaiting her words of comfort. Gert cleared her throat. “First and foremost, I want to take a moment to acknowledge those we lost today.” She let silence fill the great room. “But I promise you all, those lives lost will not be in vain. We have a common enemy, and he will be defeated one way or another. I know it’s especially difficult to cope, as he was one of our own. That’s on me. The unfortunate truth of the matter is, we are the last remaining superheroes on the planet. We owe it to the people we’ve sworn to protect to put an end to this ultimate evil, once and for all. But tonight, we rest, take a rare moment to collect ourselves. Try to get some sleep, everyone. We don’t know when our next battle may be.”</p>
<p>Without a word, the group got up, collected their things, and made their way to their respective quarters.</p>
<p>                </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gert attempted sleep, but her brain was stuck in strategy mode, working through every possible way her team could take down Victorious. She didn’t want to leave them behind without a plan in place. Finally, she gave up on trying to rest and got out of bed. She overheard tinkering coming from the room next to hers and knew Chase must also be awake. Walking to his room in the middle of the night reminded her of living beneath the Tar Pits.</p>
<p>Gert knocked on his doorframe. Chase spun around on his stool, removing his safety goggles to see his visitor clearly. His torso was wrapped in bandages.</p>
<p>“Can’t sleep?” he asked, toying with the Fistigons.</p>
<p>“Can you blame me?” she answered.</p>
<p>“That was some speech you gave earlier.”</p>
<p>“Part of the job,” Gert explained.</p>
<p>Chase nodded. “I couldn’t help but overhear the part where you blamed yourself for Victorious.”</p>
<p>“Chase…”</p>
<p>“I told you, <em>I</em> brought him back. He was a head in a box. I did this, not you.”</p>
<p>“Yes, but I put him on my team. I put him back on the Avengers, trusted him with my life. I let him hurt you, and Old Lace, and Molly, and hundreds of others. I’m always retracing my steps, trying to figure out where exactly it all went wrong. In every scenario, I’m a part of it.”</p>
<p>Chase stopped tinkering to look up at her, “Will you please stop blaming yourself?”</p>
<p>“You first,” Gert managed a smirk. “What are you working on?”</p>
<p>“An upgrade. New setting that’ll allow them to phase.”</p>
<p>Gert frowned, piecing together Chase’s plan. “You’re going for the heart?”</p>
<p>“Damn right I am.”</p>
<p>“But that means you need to get close enough-”</p>
<p>“I can’t die,” he reminded her.</p>
<p>“Just because you <em>haven’t</em> died, doesn’t necessarily mean you <em>can’t</em>, right?”</p>
<p>Chase shrugged.</p>
<p>“Hey, this might be no big deal to you, but it’s a big deal to me. I need you safe. You’re a part of my team and it’s my job to keep you alive.”</p>
<p>“I’m not doing this for me,” he replied. “You’ve died in my arms one too many times, Gert. I told you, I’m not letting it happen again.”</p>
<p>“There’s got to be a better way.”</p>
<p>“Like what?” he paused to ask.</p>
<p>Gert was at a loss for words.</p>
<p>“Exactly,” Chase replied.</p>
<p>Gert approached Chase and eyed his handywork. “I can’t believe you still have these things,” she admitted, gesturing toward the Fistigons. “I remember when you first got them.”</p>
<p>“Seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?” Chase added. “We were just dumb kids back then.”</p>
<p>“Speak for yourself,” Gert quipped.</p>
<p>“Not you. You were always super smart. Too smart for me, that’s for sure.”</p>
<p>“Says the guy who can turn a pile of junk into state-of-the-art weaponry.”</p>
<p>Gert carefully placed a hand on Chase’s back. He settled into her touch. Finally neglecting his project, he stood slowly and stroked the back of her hair.</p>
<p>“Gert,” he let out. “We don’t have enough time, I-”</p>
<p>“Doesn’t that always seem to be the case?” she responded, taking a step back.</p>
<p>Chase looked down at his feet. “I have to finish the Fistigons. It might be our only chance, if something happens to the portico… We just don’t know what will happen.”</p>
<p>Gert nodded. “No, you’re right,” she confessed. “Goodnight, Chase.”</p>
<p>“Goodnight, Gert.”</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The following morning, Gert kept mostly to herself. She focused on keeping a level-head, knowing Victorious could find them at any minute.</p>
<p>There was a sudden knock at her door. She opened it to find Chase, appearing as though he hadn’t slept.</p>
<p>“Hey,” he began. “There’s something I meant to give you.”</p>
<p>“Please tell me it’s more inhibitor pods.”</p>
<p>Chase ran a hand through his hair. “It’s this,” he said, holding out a piece of paper.</p>
<p>Gert unfolded it and felt instantly sick. It was an old photo of Victor that she hadn’t seen in years. “Why would you give this to me?” she demanded. “Is this a sick joke?”</p>
<p>“No!” Chase was quick to defend himself. “It’s the photo Future-you had on her. I figured you would need it when you go back, to help track him down in the past.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” said Gert, standing down. “That’s… that was very thoughtful of you, Chase.” She folded up the photo, tucked it away and hurried to close the door. Chase stopped her.</p>
<p>“Are you okay?” he asked.</p>
<p>In earnest, she was not. Aside from everything else going on, that photo had brought back a wave of memories she never wanted to revisit. Kissing in a field of butterflies, growing up together, working alongside one another – all those fond memories of Victor had been tarnished once she discovered the truth about him. He was a murderer, and would always grow up to be a murderer. The thought of being with him disgusted her.</p>
<p>Chase noticed the change in her demeanor. He delicately pulled her into a hug and held her like she was the most precious thing in the world. Gert wanted to believe that to him, she still was. “I’m sorry,” he started to say, rubbing her back. Gert pressed her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She let go reluctantly.</p>
<p>“Come with me,” she abruptly proposed, “to the past.”</p>
<p>“I… I can’t,” Chase stuttered. “I would just mess things up somehow, like last time.”</p>
<p>“You didn’t mess up,” she told him, cupping his cheek. “You saved me. If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be buried beneath the Hollywood sign. I’m not leaving you behind. Not again. Never again,” Gert started to choke up.</p>
<p>“I’ll be fine here,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I’ll fight him forever if I have to. But I know you can do it, Gert. You can change all of this.”</p>
<p>“No,” Gert insisted, shaking her head. “Not without you.”</p>
<p>Chase lifted her chin with his fingertips and pressed his lips to hers. Gert leaned into his kiss. It felt so familiar, like no time had passed. She tucked her hand behind his neck and pulled her body closer to his, closing the distance between them. He was gentler than she remembered. For the first time in a while, she let herself relinquish control. It was euphoric. She lifted Chase’s shirt and placed a hand over his tattoo of her name. The two pulled away with a soft inhale of breath.</p>
<p>“This is an unfair tactic,” Chase panted.</p>
<p>As Gert’s cheeks reddened, she leaned in nearer to mask them. Chase embraced her again. Should she tell him how much he means to her? she thought. When she believed him dead, there was so much she had wanted to say to him, and she finally had the chance.</p>
<p> Chase beat her to it. He placed his mouth to her ear and whispered, “I have always loved you, Gertrude Yorkes.”</p>
<p>Before she got the opportunity to respond, the photo of Victor slipped out of her pocket and fell to the floor. His eyes watched her from the ground. Then, all the metal objects in the room began to levitate.</p>
<p>“Chase,” she warned.</p>
<p>“He found us!”</p>
<p>“The portico, quick!” Gert scooped up the photo and hurried to the time machine. “We need to power it up!”</p>
<p>“On it!” Chase replied, gunning for the arc reactor.</p>
<p>“Please come with me,” Gert begged.</p>
<p>The door to the bunker flew off its hinges. Victorious appeared in the doorway, sparks coming from his fingers.</p>
<p>Chase passed the arc reactor to Gert who worked fast to set it into place. “Please,” she pleaded once more.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry, Gert,” he said to her. “I need to do this.”</p>
<p>Chase ran off as the rest of the team came barreling into the room, shooting, shocking and stinging.</p>
<p>Gert couldn’t do it. She couldn’t leave them behind, especially Chase. She stepped out of the time machine and joined the fight.</p>
<p>Victorious set his sights on her. He prepared his attack when Chase emerged from behind him. Chase had on the Fistigons, and they were glowing, vibrating rapidly. In one fluid motion, he pulled back his arm and drove it straight through Victorious’ spine, grasping for the heart. Victorious pressed a hand to his chest as shock washed across his face. Chase retracted his arm triumphantly and eyed the miscellaneous parts, confused.</p>
<p>“Qué lástima,” Victorious snickered. “Poor, simple Chase. You really thought I would keep myself equipped with such vulnerable human components?”</p>
<p>“I should’ve known you didn’t have a heart, Mancha. Not anymore.”</p>
<p>Victorious turned and forcefully grabbed hold of Chase.</p>
<p>“Chase!” Gert cried out, sprinting towards them.</p>
<p>“Well, lucky for me… you do,” Victorious replied.</p>
<p>To Gert’s horror, Victorious pierced through Chase’s chest and pulled back with Chase’s heart in hand. Chase’s body went limp. Victorious tossed him aside without a thought.</p>
<p>“No!” Gert screamed. “Chase!” Before she could get to him, Victorious apprehended her.</p>
<p>“And where do you think you’re going in <em>that</em>?” he sneered, motioning toward the time machine. Gert struggled against his grasp, knowing she couldn’t let him get control of the portico. He would be even more powerful with it in his possession than he already was.</p>
<p>Hisako unleashed a concussive blast on Victorious. He immediately dropped Gert and she scrambled to get back to her feet as soon as she hit the floor. Karolina flew in to help her up.</p>
<p>“It’s time, K,” said Gert, tears starting in her eyes, “I’ve got to go back. Can you keep him distracted?”</p>
<p>Karolina nodded, joining Iron Woman as she fired her repulsor rays. Victorious hardly flinched, continuing his assault. As the teams fought back, Gert dashed to the portico. She powered it up, setting the date to the past and preparing to jump. The machine whirred, catching Victorious’ attention.</p>
<p>“<em>Heroine</em>,” Victorious teased. He ignored the blasts hitting him from all directions and snatched the arc reactor out of its hold. The portico immediately powered down as he clasped the reactor in his palm. Victorious detained Gert next, sending an electric current through her body that threw her backwards. She bravely pulled herself upright.</p>
<p>“This ends here, Victor. Enough,” she stated, blood dribbling from her lips.</p>
<p>“Is that really what you want, my love?”</p>
<p>“Don’t call me that.”</p>
<p>“Ah, how long are we going to keep up this game, Gert? I know how you truly feel about me.”</p>
<p>“You repulse me,” Gert attested. “I hate what you’ve become.”</p>
<p>“No… that can’t be true.”</p>
<p>“You never loved me. You’ve never loved anything. It was just a lie!”</p>
<p>“Then who did, hm? <em>Chase</em>? Did Chase love you how you wish to be loved?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Gert sobbed. “He did.”</p>
<p>Victor hovered to Chase’s body, picked it up and held it out to her. “This?” he questioned. “Is this what you want? What will make you happy?”</p>
<p>Gert was beside herself, trying with everything she had to pull it together. “Yes,” she mustered.</p>
<p>Victorious became enraged. He discarded Chase’s body like a ragdoll and pulled forward a sharp piece of metal that hovered before him, glinting in the light. “Fine,” he spoke, hatred in his voice, as he sent the metal stabbing through the air. It landed directly in Gert’s abdomen.</p>
<p>“No!” Gert’s teammates shouted and fought harder to defend their leader. One by one, they fell. First Scorpion, then Captain Americas, their bodies broken. Then Karolina. Her light dimmed and turned to gray as she lost consciousness.</p>
<p>Gert choked out a small noise, then stumbled forward. She knew this was a fatal blow. There would be no going back to stop Victorious in the past, even with the arc reactor. She had to think fast. She thought of Chase, of the rest of her beloved Runaways. They would be her only hope; the only ones she could trust to complete her mission. She had to go back, to them.</p>
<p>Hisako came to Gert’s aid, using the last of her strength to put up one more shield. Gert was losing awareness. To her relief, Victorious momentarily disappeared from sight.</p>
<p>“The arc reactor,” she told Hisako. “He’ll use it… to take the time machine.”</p>
<p>Hisako watched on helplessly over Gert’s shoulder as Iron Woman was flung aside. “There’s no one left. It’s over.”</p>
<p>“No,” Gert breathed.</p>
<p>“We’re too late. He’s gotten too powerful.”</p>
<p>“Avengers, assemble!” Gert tried to shout, desperation in her voice. “Please, God… please assemble! Captain Americas, Scorpion, anyone?”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Heroine,” said Hisako. “For what’s it’s worth, you led them well. Your team lasted longer than my X-Men did.”</p>
<p>“I… I trusted him, Hisako. I <em>loved</em> him.”</p>
<p>“We all did. And now we get to die for our mistake. He’s on his way back here now, and my armor won’t withstand another-”</p>
<p>“No,” Gert insisted, “there’s still a chance.”</p>
<p>“You’re dreaming, Gertrude. We can’t stop Victorious.”</p>
<p>“No…” a terrible voice answered. “but won’t it be fun to try?”</p>
<p>With an electric blast, Hisako’s armor collapsed, and along with it, Hisako.</p>
<p>“Hisako!” Gert cried out.</p>
<p>“I’ve saved you for last, Heroine,” Victorious teased. He raised his arms to her when Iron Woman came swooping in, ricocheting Victorious into the wall.</p>
<p>“Not quite,” Iron Woman cracked and immediately saw to Gert. “Heroine, can you get up?”</p>
<p>Gert shook her head, panting. “I need you to do something for me, Riri. I need you to power the portico… send me back.”</p>
<p>Iron Woman was quick to comply. Victorious would be on them in moments. She placed Gert into the portico and powered up.</p>
<p>When Victorious saw what they were attempting, he became enraged. With a squeezed fist, he crunched the metal on Iron Woman’s suit, tighter and tighter, as she let out a horrible scream. He turned his attention to Gert, sending a volt of electricity in her direction, when she and the portico vanished.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gert reappeared beneath the La Brea Tar Pits Museum.</p>
<p>“Please… Please tell me what year this is,” she gasped between labored breaths. “Ah, Karolina’s still here… Must be 2005.”</p>
<p>“Lady,” Gert’s own voice spoke back to her, “you make another move and my dinosaur will <em>end </em>you.”</p>
<p>“I highly doubt that, Gertrude,” she tried to laugh, “seeing how I’m you.”</p>
<p>“What?” Nico’s voice. It was good to hear her again. And Old Lace. She could feel her.</p>
<p>“She’s lying,” young Gert protested. “I wouldn’t be caught dead in that getup.”</p>
<p>“Funny choice of words, kid… and you’ll realize how much things can change… in about twenty years… when you start leading the Avengers…”</p>
<p>“Gert’s gonna be a superhero?” Molly asked in a higher pitch than Gert had become accustomed to.</p>
<p>“It’s not as fun as it sounds, Mol… She’s going to be betrayed… by someone she’s stupid enough to put on her team…I barely escaped with my life…” Gert paused when she felt a familiar hand on her back. <em>Chase</em>. Gert continued, determined, “He just slaughtered my Avengers… used my files to kill the others… Hisako and her X-Men,” Gert swallowed hard, unable to look up at Molly’s innocent face. She went on, “Daredevil, the Fantastic Fourteen… he murdered all of them… every hero on the planet…”</p>
<p>“Who did?” Chase asked.</p>
<p>“A supposed <em>champion</em> named Victorious. He’s the most powerful man… on the planet… Please… you’re the future’s only hope… Iron Woman sacrificed her life to help power this one last trip… because I need you children… to stop him…”</p>
<p>“Us?” Karolina. “Ma’am, how are we supposed to stop something if the grown-up us’s can’t?”</p>
<p>If Gert had the strength, she would have chuckled at “ma’am”. But she could feel herself slipping… This was it. She had to get her message out while she still had the chance; something convincing, that not even her younger self could ignore. She decided to be as straightforward as possible.</p>
<p>“You have to find Victorious when he was just a boy… before he becomes too strong.” Gert weakly pulled the photo from her pocket and held it out, her hand shaky. “His name is Victor Mancha. He grew up here… in Los Angeles…Don’t trust him. He’s not who he says he is… I knew only you guys would understand… His father… is a villain from your time… the greatest evil… in the universe.”</p>
<p><em>You have to find him, and kill him, </em>she wanted to say. But instead, as her heart struggled to beat, she let her eyes become lost in Chase’s. If this is how she was going to go, it would be while staring up at his dumb, wonderful face. She wanted to apologize. She wanted to warn him what would become of him if Victor lived. But she knew, if she had just one breath left in her lungs, what she would use it for.</p>
<p>“Sweet Chase…” Gert whispered. “In all those years… I never told you… how much I loved…”</p>
<p>
  
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